ARAVA Institute for environmental studies, which is located in the south of Israel, is a phenomenal place where students can gain graduate degrees, studying environmental issues that impact the region and the world today.  What makes it so special, is that 1/3 of the student body is Palestinian/Jordanian, 1/3 is Israeli, and 1/3 is international.

For those of us who care about Israel, it is difficult to remain hopeful in the aftermath of October 7. Yet the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, an Israeli environmental peacebuilding institute in southern Israel, is a spot of hope. The Institute has kept its doors open with Israeli Jews and Arabs, Palestinians, Jordanians and others from around the world learning while building friendships. Over the past 27 years, the Institute has brought together over 1,800 students to meet the Middle East's environmental challenges with innovative peacebuilding solutions. It has introduced decentralized water and energy technologies that support the region’s most vulnerable communities. Over the course of studying and working together on common concerns, these Palestinians, Israelis, and Jordanians see the humanity in each other and develop relationships beyond the conflict. This is an especially hard time for obvious reasons, and yet, they thrive.

Dr. Abu Hamed is the executive director of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. Israel21c recently named him one of the 48 Israelis uniquely shaping Israel and the world. He rose to become the Israeli Ministry of Science’s Acting Chief Scientist, the highest ranking Palestinian in the Israeli government. Dr. Abu Hamed is the co-chair of the regional cooperation and security task force of President Herzog’s Israel Climate Forum. He is a sought after speaker in international environmental conferences, most recently at the UN COP28 Climate Conference in Dubai.

Dr Abu Hanad will be visiting a private residence in Breckenridge and we’d love to extend an open invitation to the SOS community to join us. It will be a very informal afternoon of discussion about the institute and hopefully about the ongoing crisis in Israel. Light snacks and drinks will be provided. 

Please REGISTER below.